The ferry ghost: a ghost adventure story
by Emslovesherwriting
Summary: Maddy has one fear...the ghost of an elderly woman who haunts the residential ferry centre. However, she is asked to appear on the TV show ghost adventures to talk about her experience. But what happens when she is locked in for the night, not only with the ghost, but her celebrity crush? Ps - this is my first fanfic:) hope you like it!


The ferry ghost

The day outside was sunny and bright. That was how I felt, bright and sunny. My dad played his music while we cruised along the high road. I would have listened to my own music but I was too nervous. I had the window open to help me feel more relaxed.

"How you feeling?" Dad asked me.

"Yeah, I'm okay."

Dad stopped at some traffic lights and I watched two teenage boys cross the road. No one around here was interested me in that way. Apart from _him_ who lived no where near here.

"I'm sure it'll be great." Dad enthused as he started driving again.

"Yeah," I agreed. "I mean, I've met strangers before haven't I?"

"Oh yes…but he's not exactly a stranger."

He was right. I know I had never met him, but he was no where near a stranger.

We were getting closer to where I was supposed to be. I looked at my watch. 11 o'clock. If I got there too early, I'd have half an hour to kill. Plus I couldn't stay there by myself, after what had happened all those years ago when I was nine years old. I had only recently returned to the spot where most of the nightmares I had had happened. And when I was there I was with a lot of people, doing tours.

"Dad, can you drop me off here please?" I asked, getting ready to unbuckle myself.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. If I get dropped off there I'll be there way too early."

My dad begun to indicate to the left and he parked along side of the road. I got out of the car and the heat immediately hit me. Why I was wearing a black hoody and black skinny jeans I had no clue. The skinny jeans I felt would make me feel more presentable, seeing as I was going to be on the TV. The hoody was there to cover my arms which I hated.

"Well, good luck. Call me if you need anything."

 _Call me if you need anything_ my dad always said that. It use to annoy me. But now I know it's because he cares. I waved him off and began walking. Eventually I took my hoody off. I don't care if anyone saw me in just a vest top. I didn't care about them so why should I care what they thought of me. All I cared about was him.

 _Ooo I bet you're excited for today,_ my mum's voice from this morning boomed in my head as I walked through the heat. _Finally you'll get to meet your crush and be on your favourite show._ I smiled as I thought of mum. How I wished she was here walking with me now. I was so nervous I felt sick again. Perhaps I could back out right now, call someone up and say that I won't be able to do the investigation.

I couldn't do that. Not only would I regret it but also I would feel so bad. They've come all the way from America to this dead end sea side town located in England. Plus I wanted them to show this evidence, show everyone what has given me nightmares infrequently since the age of nine.

I just wanted to see _him_.

I looked at my watch. 11:20. Ten more minutes. Although I reckon they wouldn't be here dead on 11:30. I leaned against the wall of an abandoned garage which is centred in the car park of the ferry centre. I looked nervously to the ferry centre opposite me. I could feel her watching me. I couldn't see her, but I knew she was there. Oh why didn't I let dad wait with me? Or better still why did I decide to leave so early?

"Please don't hurt me," I whispered repeatedly to myself. I hugged my hoody to me, as if it was a shield and couldn't let her hurt me.

Just then I heard a car coming up to the right hand turning. I had heard numerous cars go past, but this one sounded as though it was going slowly. Then I saw the grey van that I had seen so many times on TV pull into the drive way and park just in front of me. I could feel myself smiling already. But I knew it was a nervous smile. Why did I have to be so shy?

The driver's door opened first and Nick appeared. He has fine hair and has brown eyes. He's the youngest. He flashed me a smile which showed pearly white teeth.

"Hey, I'm Nick." He greeted me, holding out his hand. I shook it and smiled. "You're…Madeline, right?"

"Yes, you managed to say it right." I laughed.

"It's a cool name."

"Thanks," I replied, some of the nerves fluttering away.

Aaron came out of the back and opened two large doors. He was the one I was less nervous to meet…just because he's like a cuddly teddy bear. He's tall but has soft features with a beard which reminds me of teddy bear fluff.

"Hey Madeline!" He shouted over. He had a camera in his hand. He managed to hug me with his free arm and funny enough I was hugging him back.

"Hello Aaron, you managed to say my name right too."

"I did get it wrong first time, and so did Nick," I saw Nick grin sheepishly. "Zak was the one who corrected us."

 _He_ knew how to say my name properly.

That's when I heard a door close and saw a shadow on the ground emerge from behind the van. The guy that I couldn't stop thinking about. The guy that made me stand here right now and from his TV shows gave me courage to become a tour guide to one of the most haunted places in England. The guy that had made me happy ever since my last break up.

Zak was wearing a usual black top which showed the muscles in his arms so well from the tightness of it. One of the tattoos on his arm peeped through the sleeve. His jet black hair was spiked up at the front as usual and wore sunglasses. Yes, this was Zak. The Zak that seemed so brave to face the ghosts that haunted places and seemed so brave to taunt them to get a reaction. I know that I could never do that.

He stopped in front of me and took his glasses off. He beamed a smile at me.

"Hey Madeline."

"Hey," I managed to say. My voice had completely gone. What the hell was wrong with me?

"I hope you haven't been waiting here for long." He said. "Nick got kinda lost."

Nick laughed. "I got lost? I knew where I was going but you told me the wrong directions."

"Actually I was the one who knew how to get here." Aaron chimed in

Just like on TV they would squabble like this. I felt so lucky to be here with these three. Especially standing in front of Zak.

"Don't worry; I wasn't standing here for long. This can be quite a tricky place to find anyway."

I looked at Zak who shot me a smile.

"Okay well," Nick said. "Let's get the cameras ready."

I stood by the van while Nick, Zak and Aaron retrieved all of the gear from the van needed for their lockdown. I saw tripods, cameras, EVP recorders all coming out. Wow, just like on the TV. Only this time there was no screen in the way.

"I bet it feels pretty cool to be near all of this equipment," Zak said.

"Yeah…it does."

"It doesn't feel cool when you're the one carrying it," Aaron joked.

"You love it really." Zak said back.

After everything was placed inside of the building, the three came back out again. Nick and Aaron each held a camera as they were seen as the camera men at the start of the TV show.

"Okay so Maddy," Zak said to me. Wow his eyes were so beautiful. And now he was calling me by the name everyone calls me! "What I'm going to do is introduce you while Nick and Aaron film and I'll ask you a couple of questions about your experience here." I nodded. "Don't worry, feel relaxed. It'll be quite a relaxed interview."

"Okay," I said nodding.

Three minutes later, Zak introduced the audience to Ghost Adventures and then introduced me. He asked what the history of the ferry is and I explained that it use to belong to an old woman in the early Edwardian era. She then died in the house and during the war was turned into a residential place. It was also used for people to evacuate to when the 1953 floods happened as it was up a hill.

We then walked through to the residential place. We first went into what is now known as the dining area. He asked me what I had experienced here. I told them that I was a tour guide when tours of the ferry were made as people believed it was haunted. I explained that many people in here have experienced hair tugging, plates mysteriously falling to the ground and strange whisperings. Zak ordered Aaron to put an X mark in the corner where a night vision camera would soon be placed.

I then walked them through to the living area. This area was newly built when it became a residential area. I also explained that nothing in here has been experienced as the spirit who haunts this place is confused at what this part of the place is.

"I suppose you mean the spirit is the old lady that I had died," Zak asked. His voice. It was sooo gorgeous!

"Yes," I squeaked.

"Well at least this room is safe," Aaron said from behind the camera.

Nick smiled. "Man you are such a big softy."

"Dude," Zak said, "We're not here to chill, we're to see if this place is really haunted."

 _If only you knew_ I thought to myself.

"Do you want to take us through to where people sleep when they come to stay?"

I first showed them the boys room. Not much has happened in this room, I explain to the boys.

Then I go to the girl's room. I feel sick the minute I walk in to this room. I have a flashback of what had happened in this room and I feel as though I want to run away. But I'm not alone. I have three of the best ghost hunters in here with me. And I can't disappoint not only them but their fans. I need to be strong.

"So Maddy, what happened in here?"

"Girls have reported hair pulling in here and a voice whispering to them to 'leave, it's my home'. Also unexplained scratching on the mirrors in the bathroom."

Zak walks through to the bathroom and Aaron follows.

"And no one was seen here."

"No," I call through. I feel all of a sudden cold. She's here.

"Dude!" Nick calls through. He's looking at his arms. "I have Goosebumps just standing here."

Zak and Aaron comes back.

"Yeah, I can feel quite a negative energy in here." Zak agrees.

I hope I don't look scared because I feel scared. Please don't break down Maddy.

"Maddy, I heard that you had quite a frightening experience when you stayed here. Could you explain to us what happened?"

I pause. Can I do this? I haven't spoken about this at all. Only to my mum who has an interest in ghosts. The teachers couldn't understand why I had been crying so much. But it was her. Her presence, her voice, scared me. And I knew she was here right now.

"Maddy, are you okay?"

I nodded. I wanted to do this. I wanted to be as brave as Zak. And this was my chance.

"Yeah sorry," I said casually. "I was just thinking about it. Um…well I was nine years old and our class was staying here. I can't sleep in strange places at the best of times so I was the only one who was awake. I was looking up at the top bunk's mattress when I felt something cold touch my arm. It shocked me, it really did. But it was a hot night so I couldn't understand what had touched me. Then I heard a close whisper say close to my ear 'I want you to leave' in this menacing voice."

I paused and looked at Zak. He was nodding as I spoke. He was _interested_. He was interested in what I needed to say.

"Anyway, I tried ignoring it," I continued. "Apart from feeling this cold presence near me, I felt okay. Then the voice spoke to my again 'I hate you', probably because I had ignored her request and all of a sudden I was pushed out of my bed. I then heard a laugh and the cold presence was gone. I was too scared to even move. My friend next door to me heard me crying and managed to get a teacher. I stayed in the spare room where I couldn't stop crying. I found out a few years later that that was the old woman's bed room."

"Whoa," Zak finally said. "This ghost is really menacing. I think we have tough one boys."

I walked them through to the small room near the front door which is now used as storage room. It had a spare bed in it for teachers to stay in. The three of them tried to do some EVPS but nothing came up. Aaron marked an X in the spare room and the girl's room.

Once they stopped filming, Nick and Aaron decided to unload the food they had in their van and eat. I thought Zak would join them, but he took me to one side outside.

"I was wondering," He said. "Do you want to have something to eat out? I heard there's a café down the corner."

I could have pinched myself. This felt like one whole big dream. Not only was I featuring on Ghost Adventures, my all time favourite TV show. But the one and only Zak Bagans was asking me to actually eat out with him.

"Yeah sure," I said casually. Why did I sound so causal?

"Awesome, shall we go?"

I nodded and begun walking next to Zak Bagans.

It didn't take us that long to walk down to the café near the sea. Zak was amazed when he saw the café. It's like a 1950's American diner. There were tables outside and inside. Inside 50's music played. I let him take in his surroundings.

"You must feel at home in here," I said.

"Yeah," He laughed. "This is awesome!"

His American accent was everything.

"Anyway, what do you want to eat?" He asked.

"Ermm, whatever you're having."

"Okay, why don't you wait outside while I order?"

I nodded and he flashed me his perfect smile. It felt strange sitting outside without my parents. Normally we come here together. It felt weird being here by myself.

Zak eventually came out with two cokes and put them down. He had his shades on so I couldn't see my eyes.

"We must be pretty stupid both wearing black in weather like this."

"Yeah," I agreed. I thought then about taking my hoody off. But I couldn't. I couldn't let him see my arms. I hated them.

"And…you must be more of an idiot to wear such a thick hoody on a day like this." He flashed a smile at me. I knew he was joking. But I had the urge to take my hoody off then.

When the order came out, I pulled my hoody off and out it beside me. What was I doing?

"Feel better?" He asked.

"Yeah," I replied. I did feel much better.

We didn't speak for a bit. I ate rather slowly, trying not to be a pig while I ate. I have a phobia of eating in front of boys, especially if it's someone I like. The worst thing was that I couldn't tell if Zak was looking at me or not because of his sunglasses.

"That ghost must have freaked you out so much, especially being a nine year old."

"Yeah…it did."

"Would you say that's the worst thing that has affected you?"

I shook my head. I don't know why I did but I did. And this caused Zak, being intrigued easily, to ask what had affected me more.

It was stupid. I wish I had never said anything. Well, I didn't. I signalled it instead.

"It sounds stupid…"

"Nothing you say is ever stupid, remember that."

I felt myself smile. "Okay…well I would say the thing that has affected me the most is a break up."

Zak nodded. "What happened?"

I shrugged and begun playing around with my food. "I thought he liked me. I always thought they liked me. But they don't. It's like they pretend to because they don't have anything better to do with their pathetic lives." I looked up. Zak was intently looking at me. "Then they break up with you, over text without a care in the world. I know it sounds pathetic but surely if you like someone that much and care about them you wouldn't do that. And so easily as well. Then when you see them face to face they don't care. It's as if…you never existed."

Zak all of sudden but his arm down on the table. His hand looked as though it was about to grab mine. But because my hands were near me, he couldn't reach. He quickly took his arm but to his chin.

"Never feel like that. You're perfect. Some people just can't see it. I've been there too. I've had my heart broken before. It's because they can't live with what I do. It affects _them_. I can't see how it would affect them when I was the one who experienced it."

"They always think of themselves," I agreed. "I feel as though ever since I've changed. Like I have become more bitter. But I don't want to. I want to be nice. I want to be able to trust someone again." I couldn't understand why I was saying this to Zak. I never thought in a million years I would talk to him about my love life and he'd talk about his. Were we on planet earth right now?

"You will, trust me Maddy. Give it time. And you are nice. My first impression of you was a kind and friendly young lady." I smiled as he said this in his deep Texas accent. "A girl with pretty eyes and a beautiful name is hard to resist."

I could feel myself blush. Yep, I was definitely dreaming.

We made our way back shortly afterwards. The sun was beginning to lower. I left Zak admire the surroundings around him so we didn't talk as we walked back to the ferry.

Once we arrived back at the ferry, Nick and Aaron were waiting outside with two locals and a young girl who were going to talk about their experiences at the ferry centre.

To not get in the way, I decided to walk through to the small field they had at the back of the building. I sat at the far end, not to get away from the building but just to be by myself.

I had a sudden flashback of when I was here back in year five. I remember the evening before I was to sleep here, before I was to encounter a frightening experience. I remember how free and young I felt, running around with my friends and other people from my class without a care in the world.

Then childhood faded and in came teenage hood that had made my life complicated. I had flashback of what Zak had said to me: "A girl with pretty eyes and a beautiful name is hard to resist." I found it so random. Just to think that he was only a few metres away from me was insane.

What if he did like me? Could that even be possible? How rare was it to have your celebrity crush like you back? Pretty rare I would say. It felt like I was in Notting hill. But then again, he may have just been nice. But why would he have walked to the café with me and not just stay at home and eat with Nick and Aaron? He may have just been friendly.

I threw some grass helplessly and sighed. No. It was all in my head. He and the other boys were here to investigate ghosts, not to strike up a relationship with the tour guide. But this was definitely a dream come true no matter what happened.

"Hey Maddy!" I heard Aaron call after twenty minutes of just staring at the grass.

I stood up and walked over to him.

"What were you doing over there?" He asked in his friendly voice.

"I was just reminiscing." I said. I noticed that the sky was beginning to grow paler as the sun begun to set. I knew I would have to leave soon for their lock down.

I entered the living area where I found Nick and Zak getting their night vision cameras and other equipment ready for the lockdown.

"Got everything you needed?" I asked.

I was looking at Zak but he didn't look up. But for some reason I could tell that he wanted to but he didn't. He continued setting up his camera.

"Yeah it was good," Nick answered. "I think we have a lot to work with tonight."

"Mainly the spirit you were talking about," Zak added quickly. "The old woman."

I nodded. I received a text message at that moment. It was my dad, asking if I was ready to be picked up. Just on queue Zak stood up.

"Okay well, the sun is setting so I think we're ready for the lock down."

"Yeah," I said. "My dad's texted me anyway. Could I quickly go to the toilet?"

Zak nodded. I put my phone down and walked to the toilets in the girl's room.

Why did it feel as though he really wanted me to leave? Had I annoyed him without knowing? But he seemed so nice on the way back.

When I flushed the toilet, I heard scratching all of a sudden. I paused in the cubicle, not daring to move a muscle. I could hear the distant voices of Nick and Aaron, talking about something. I couldn't hear Zak. Then I heard it again. This time a tapping came from what sounded the mirror. I slowly opened my cubicle door and the tapping and scratching stopped. I decided not to say anything. I knew that Zak wanted me to leave so I didn't want to waste anymore time. It hurt to think that.

I returned to the lounge and picked my phone up. "Okay, I'm ready to go. Good luck guys."

They all thanked me as I followed Aaron, Nick and Zak out into the hallway near the front door which was closed.

"Dude…I remember keeping this door open," Nick said. "It felt hot in here so I thought I would let some air in."

My heart seemed to skip a beat. Had the old woman done this? As Zak and Nick tried to open the door, with Aaron filming as part of their lockdown, I got my phone out to text my dad back. Only my phone had seemed to gone dead. I had literally charged it that morning.

"So the door seems to be stuck," I heard Zak say as I was trying to work out what happened to my phone. "Apparently this ghost really wants us to be locked down." He then waved his hand for Aaron and Nick to turn their cameras off.

"Maddy, are you okay?" Zak asked.

"My phone…it's gone completely dead. But I know that it was fully charged this morning."

"Brooo…" Aaron said. "We haven't even started the lockdown and things are getting weird."

They were use to this stuff. I could feel myself shaking. I ran to the door and tried my best at opening the door. But it wouldn't budge. I began banging on the door for someone to help us. That's when I felt a hand gently tug me round. Zak was looking at me.

"Maddy, you won't be able to get out. We can't seem to get any signal here on our phones to contact anyone. I'm afraid you're gonna have to stay here."

"Yeah but there's nothing to worry about," Nick said, giving me a reassuring smile.

"Yeah I mean, you have three dudes here who have faced demons of all sorts," Aaron added.

"We'll look after you," Zak said, intently looking at me.

I couldn't speak at first. Was it because of the kind words or Zak's intent stare? Or was it because I knew that I couldn't face staying a night here even after nearly ten years.

"However," Zak said. "As part of our lockdown this whole place is going to be in darkness. Would you like to stay in the room here," Pointing to the room near the front door, "which will be lit for you?"

I knew it was her room and I knew they had set up an X camera in there. But what other choice was there? I couldn't get out for some odd reason or call my dad. I felt tired and sick all of a sudden. So I simply nodded. I wasn't even aware of Zak holding my arm and leading me into the small room.

I sat on the provided bed while Nick and Aaron removed the X camera from the room. I felt so bad that they had to remove a camera from a room that could have helped provide them with evidence.

"I'm sorry," I blurted out.

Zak was kneeling in front of me. "What for?"

"Having to stay here and ruin your lockdown."

"You're not ruining anything," He said. "You're the reason why we managed to get the most accurate evidence. It seems like what ever happened here as badly affected you, more than the other people."

"She's going to get me here, she recognises me and that's why the door won't open and I can't ring my dad."

All of a sudden Zak grabbed my hand. "Nothing is going to harm you while Nick, Aaron and myself are here. It won't be like last time."

I could feel tears stinging my eyes but I didn't let them fall. He wouldn't stop looking at me. We stared at each for what seemed an eternity while he held my hand securely in his.

"Okay," I said and smiled.

"Good girl." He stood up and walked to the door.

"Shout or anything if anything gets weird. I think Nick and Aaron have put an EVP in here."

I nodded and with that he closed the door. He didn't lock it.

That's when I begun to cry. I should feel safe with these 3 professional ghost hunters in the same building with me. But I didn't. I would've felt safer if I was at home in my bedroom with my mum and dad in the same house as me. I was worried what my dad and mum would do. Perhaps they would drive here and be able to enter. Then again I didn't want them disturbing their lockdown.

I lay down on the bed and begun to cry silently. I didn't want the EVP to pick up any noise of me crying.

Eventually I stopped and decided that I might as well accept the fact that I was going to be staying here and that perhaps my mum and dad would eventually come along and pick me up. But then again I didn't want that to happen.

I took my hoody off and my shoes and got into the bed provided. The sheets felt rough but it was better than nothing. I decided to turn the light off so now everything in this building was officially dark.

I closed my eyes and fell asleep to the distant voices of Zak, Nick and Aaron talking in their lockdown and the thoughts of Zak holding my hands. In this tiny room I felt distant from everything.

 _Wake up._ I opened my eyes quickly. What was that voice? I turned the bedside light on next to me. No one was there. I could feel goose bumps develop on my arm. As I went to grab my hoody the light next to me fell onto the ground and smashed. The room fell into darkness.

I didn't breath. I waited to hear any noise from Zak, Aaron and Nick. I could hear them in the girl's room. They sounded so distant.

"Hello?" I said.

There was nothing. Nothing but darkness. That's when I knew that Nick, Aaron and Zak's attempts in the girl's room was pointless.

The woman was in here with me.

That was when the lamp was thrown against me once I tried walking to the door. I didn't want to make a noise as I didn't want to disturb Nick and Aaron and Zak. I let out a silent sob. I knew I was bleeding but I could deal with that later. All I knew is that I didn't want to be in the same room as this ghost that has haunted my nightmares for so long.

I stood up and walked to the door. It was locked. I remember clearly Zak didn't look, in case I needed the toilet in the night.

That was when I was pushed hard in the chest and fell onto the floor. I began to crawl back to my bed as I felt a negative energy surround me.

"Please don't hurt me," I pleaded in a whisper. "Why are you hurting me? Why did you hurt me?"

After a few minutes, I heard a fragile whisper. "Hate you."

That was when things were beginning to hit me. She was throwing objects at me. Sharp and big objects.

"ZAK!" I screamed. "AARON! NICK! HELP ME PLEASE!"

It didn't take them long for them to try opening the door. I could mainly hear Zak on the other side, saying he hadn't locked the door.

"Dude what is happening in there?" I heard Aaron say.

"Maddy!" Nick shouted. "What's happening in there?"

"She," I tried to speak but the pain being caused by the objects that I couldn't even see hitting me was hurting me too much to speak. "Hates me."

"Hold on Maddy, I'm going to knock this door down."

Just then the objects stopped hitting me but the negative energy surrounded me still. Just before Zak had knocked the door down, I heard her whisper closely to me: "Leave again."

The door made a loud thud as it hit against the wall. All I could see was a bright light from their night vision cameras. I sat near the bed, almost huddled like a ball.

"Nick give me the torch," I heard Zak command.

All of a sudden a bright light hit me and I was able to see the room once again. Around me were different objects such as small cardboard boxes, old books, some plastic cups. But what chilled me more were the knives and forks that had been thrown at me.

"Oh shit," Zak said. His torch was facing down at my arm.

I looked and it was covered in cuts and bruises. The cuts were quite small and the bruises hardly visible.

"Were you in this position when she was throwing stuff at you?" Nick asked while Zak carefully continued examining the damage caused.

"Yeah. I mean, at first that lamp was thrown at my head."

Zak lifted the torch to my head. "You've got a bit of a cut." He said. He tried touching it but I flinched. "Okay honey." His voice was so soft and full of caring it made me melt inside.

"Nick and Aaron, could you fetch me the first aid kit from inside the lounge."

While they left, Zak helped me up and made me sit on the bed. Nick and Aaron came back a few seconds later with a green box.

"You know it's weird because we were in the girl's room," Nick started explaining while Zak carefully dabbed my injured eyebrow. "And there was no response."

"And all the time she was in here with me," I said. "Waiting to get me…"

Zak stopped dabbing my eyebrow and looked at me intently. "She is not going to get you. I promised you that we'd stay here and protect you."

"I think me and Aaron should go back into the girls room. She may be in there again." Nick said this while Zak continued staring at me. "Zak!"

"What?" Zak turned to Nick. "Oh yeah…you go. I'll stay here with Maddy."

Nick nodded and gave me a smile before leaving. Aaron came over to me and gave me a reassuring hug. "You'll be fine." And he went and followed Nick.

Zak and I didn't speak to begin with. The room felt calmer now and more alive with the light shining from the torch. After Zak had put a small plaster on the small cut that had been produced despite all of the blood, Zak went and cleaned up the objects that had been thrown at me. This included the broken lamp.

When he came back he sat down next to me on the bed.

"You guys are awesome." I finally said.

Zak moved a little closer. "We don't like the dead hurting the living. It's our job not only to protect the living but to communicate with the dead and perhaps come up with a possible answer in why these ghosts do these things."

Being the sensitive person I am and hating it when people hate me, I burst into tears again. Instead this time I wasn't alone. How could I be crying in front of my crush? Why couldn't I just keep it together until I got home?

Zak put his arm around me and I felt his large hands pull me into him. We both leaned against the wall. I was practically using him as a cushion.

At first I wasn't aware of what was happening. All I could think about was the woman who all those years ago had chosen me to haunt out of the other girls who had stayed with me. All I could hear was her voice whispering into my ear. The chill that it had given me.

I became aware of the present when I felt Zak kiss my forehead. Then I remembered where I was and who I was with. Zak Bagans, my ultimate celebrity crush from one my favourite TV shows ever was holding me as I cried into his shirt that fit him so well over his muscular body. And then I realised how stupid I was behaving.

I went to pull away but his arms were around me firmly. Not tight firmly, more like protective firmly. As if he was holding me for a reason.

"Zak…" I trailed off. My voice sounded inaudible.

"Yeah?" He mumbled.

"I'm sorry about your shirt." I managed to say.

I heard him laugh. "It's fine."

"I don't like her." I said, more seriously.

"Neither do I. I hope Nick and Aaron have found her."

I nodded. Zak all of sudden pulled me away from him but not to let me go. It was so he could look at me. I couldn't look at him. Not because I didn't want to. Because I did. I just knew how horrible I must've looked after crying for so long. I looked down at the black carpet as Zak wiped away the cold tears on my cheek.

"Maddy?" He murmured. "Please look at me."

I looked at him and his eyes into me. His eyes were perfect. They shinned in the small amount of light that was in this room. And all of a sudden, the woman and this room drifted away. Aaron and Nick also drifted away. The whole world seemed to disappear and leave just me and Zak in this one room. It was like this was the only room left on earth and we were the only people left on earth. How could I feel so strongly about I person I didn't know personally?

"Why did you take me to the café today?" I asked.

"I wanted to."

"But why? Why didn't you invite Aaron and Nick too?"

He paused for a moment. He took my hand and started fiddling with it carefully.

"Isn't it obvious?"

It was. But it was hard to believe.

He didn't say anything in answer. He leaned in and our lips met. At first I didn't react. I wasn't ready. It had taken me by surprise. He pulled away. His eyes were shinier than ever. His face was just perfect. It was there right in front of me and I wasn't scared to have eye contact with him. I wasn't scared anymore. Not with him here.

This time I lunged in and for an eternity it felt like we were kissing. I felt weightless. I felt alive. I felt loved.

He pulled away eventually and held my chin in his hand.

"You don't know me," I said.

"I want to know you. I feel like…"

Just then we heard a bang. He didn't let go of me but his grip seemed to loosen.

"Nick!" He called. "Aaron!"

"Yeah?!" Nick shouted back.

"Where are you?"

"In the girl's room!" Aaron shouted back.

"That bang didn't come from there." I point out. It sounded like in the hallway.

Zak looked at me. "I'll be back. I'll just be down there."

I nodded. I watched him walk out and then disappear.

"Where are you, you evil woman? Show yourself!" No answer. "Do you like tormenting young girls? Is it because you wish you were young yourself? Now you're dead you have to stay old forever?"

There was a loud bang, more nearer to the room I was sitting in. I heard Zak slowly edge near to the door, the door that was now broken.

"Are you in here again? I won't let you harm her. She has done nothing wrong."

"Zak…" I said. "I feel cold."

He edged closer to me. He took his EVP recorder out of his pocket and put it near me. "If you don't want me to harm you, speak into this for me please." Pause. "Speak please."

There was a scratchy voice that I couldn't make out at first. But once Zak replayed it, I made out that it said 'youth'.

"She wants youth," Zak said, more to himself. "Is that what you want? You want to be young again?"

We both waited for five minutes and there was no response. Zak put the EVP device down on the table where he had left another EVP device and sat down with me. He let me fall into his arms and he held me tight again.

I could feel my eyes closing as the soft light began to make me feel tired.

"Zak," I murmured. "What were you going to say? Before the bang."

"Go to sleep, Maddy."

Without a struggle, I did. Without knowing what he wanted to say to me.

I opened my eyes to the sound of loud booming laughter. The room was no longer filled with a soft light but instead a refreshing light from outside. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. And all of sudden everything from last night came rushing back to me. The woman. The hurting. The voices. Zak.

He wasn't here. It's just as well. I probably looked awful.

I stood up and walked sleepily towards the lounge which was where the voices were coming from. I could almost smell cooked breakfast. I entered the lounge and found Nick and Aaron sitting on the provided chairs, messing around with their food. I couldn't see Zak.

"Oh hey Maddy!" Nick said, smiling.

"How are you feeling?" Aaron asked.

"Okay. My head hurts a bit." I walked over to them and sat next to Aaron.

"Have some of this, it'll make you feel better." Aaron said, holding out some bacon for me.

"I'm okay thank you." I said. "You guys were pretty good last night. Did you find anything interesting?"

"Yeah," Nick said with his mouth full. "I'll play you some."

Nick had his laptop open and begun playing some of the voice clips. One of them clearly said 'get rid of her' and the second one sounded almost like she was telling us to 'leave.'

"We also saw some apparitions in your room-" Aaron begun.

"Aaron that's enough."

I looked at the door and found Zak standing there. I smiled at him and he smiled back, but it looked tired.

"We need to leave soon," Zak said. He sounded so serious, so robotic.

Nick and Aaron went quiet and begun packing away their equipment. Zak helped while I sat on the chair, feeling awkward. All I wanted them to do was stay here. I wanted us to all pack up and go away. But I knew that I would be the one who would stay here. And I knew I would miss them so much. Especially Zak. I watched him as he picked up two of the heaviest suitcases. I watched how his muscles tensed up at the strain of it. Perhaps last night was a dream. After he had cleaned me up he probably put me to bed and dreamt everything. It seemed probable seeing as he seemed to have no affection towards me now like he did in the dream.

Zak came back to me and took my through to the kitchen area. I thought perhaps he was going to tell me he loved me and that he was going to stay here forever. But of course that wasn't going to happen. And it didn't. He had some antiseptic stuff out and plasters.

"This might hurt," He said.

He pulled the plaster off. It did hurt but I seemed used to pain by now.

"It looks better. I'll still put some of this on anyway."

He dabbed my eyebrow carefully. Once he'd done, he looked into my eyes again. But it only lasted a couple of seconds. He quickly packed everything away. I didn't watch. I decided to watch Nick and Aaron pack up instead.

I leaned against the wall, my hoody in my hand. Everything had been packed up and Nick closed the door of the van. Zak stood in the door way, the door closed behind him.

"Have you filmed the ending?" I asked, trying to be cheerful.

"Yeah we filmed it," Zak said.

I didn't look at him. If last night had been a dream, then I felt too embarrassed to look at him.

"Come on guys," Zak said sternly. He looked at me. "Thank you for letting us look at this place." And he walked off.

I tried to hide my hurt ness away.

"Sorry about him," Nick said. "He didn't get much sleep last night."

"Why? Was he scared?"

"Scared for you I think." Aaron said. "He felt bad for not trying harder to try and get you out."

I looked at the door. That's right, the door couldn't open. It was obvious the ghost had done it.

"But I mean he locked it by purpose." Nick said.

I sprang to attention. "I thought the ghost…"

They both smiled and shook their heads. "But why…" I trailed off.

"Come on guys!" Zak called. "We need to get moving."

Nick gave me a hug. "Bye Maddy, nice meeting you. I hope we can meet you again." And Nick walked towards the van to join Zak.

"See ya Maddy." Aaron said, giving me a big cuddle. "I really hope that we can come back and meet you again."

I watched as Nick and Aaron both entered the van. I wished Zak had given me a goodbye like that. I looked at the door as the van's engine started up. Was that really true? Had Zak locked the door in order for me to stay? Perhaps they only said that so I didn't get more scared.

I heard the van screech to an abrupt stop which brought back my attention. The passenger door opened. Zak stepped out and came running up to me. He handed me a piece of paper. Then he bent down and gave me the warmest hug I'd ever had.

"Bye Maddy," He whispered softly to me.

I watched as he jogged back into the car. Before he went in, he flashed me a quick smile. Then the van turned right and disappeared.

I opened the piece of paper up. On it was an American number. Underneath it read: _I feel that you're the one… I'm sorry for hurting you. I want to see you again. Zak x_

I smiled. So it was true. The kiss and the cuddling. It was all true. Then he did lock the door. It was him, not the ghost. That was when I remembered my dad. I got my phone out. Full signal. I also saw that I had received a text message. It was from my dad. _Okay Maddy, hope you have fun. Text me in the morning to let me know why you want to be picked up x_ I checked the message above: _Hey I'm staying round my friend's house tonight. Sorry it's last minute. Text you in the morning x_

Now I definitely know that an elderly ghost would not know how to phone on a mobile phone, let alone text on one. It was Zak too. He wanted me to stay. I would not have got the impression that he wanted me to stay. He seemed so distant from me after the café. I really needed to get a password on my phone.

I texted my dad and decided to stay as close to the house as possible while I waited. I looked at the window of the ferry centre. I thought of Zak and how brave he was facing all of these different ghosts while I was only scared of one who was just an elderly woman.

That's when I saw her face at the window. It startled me at first. I studied her cloudy face through the window. She would've looked pretty once. Perhaps her youth went and that's why she became bitter. She looked angry. But I thought of Zak and how he would've handled it.

So I smiled up at her and said loudly, "I'm not scared!" And I kept repeating it with a smile until she faded away. I felt like I had made Zak proud.

Eventually my dad pulled into the small car park. Once I was in, I got my phone out and begun punching Zak's number in.

"How was the sleepover?" Dad asked.

"Oh it was splendid," I said while the wind brushed my face.

It was honestly brilliant. And I knew this was the start of something new.


End file.
